1. The Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an improved aerosol dispensing system for selectively dispensing a disinfecting agent from an aerosol container.
2. The Prior State of the Art
There has been an increasing emphasis on the need for improved hygiene as a means to substantially reduce and/or prevent the incidence of illness and disease. Areas where improved hygiene is particularly critical include food processing plants, eating and drinking establishments, convenience stores and hospitals. In an effort to improve hygiene, a variety of disinfectant systems have been devised. As indicated in the following discussion however, known disinfectant systems suffer from a variety of shortcomings which make those systems at least inconvenient to use and which, in more extreme cases, may actually impede the ability of those systems to reduce the incidence of illness and disease.
At least one known disinfecting system requires complete immersion of the user's hands in a disinfecting solution; thereafter, the user's hands are rinsed and dried off with a towel. While relatively simple, this system is somewhat inconvenient because it requires at least three steps; immersion, rinsing, and drying. Further, where several users utilize the same towel, the towel may actually impede the effectiveness of the system; common use of the same drying towel increases the likelihood that disease-causing germs and the like will be transferred to the towel and thence to other users.
Recently, pump-type disinfecting devices have been devised which emit an alcohol type disinfectant in the form of a mist when the head of the pump is directly depressed with the hands. These devices are often employed in hospitals. Pump-type devices are arguably more effective than the immersion method because the pump-type devices do not require the rinsing and drying steps that are characteristic of the immersion disinfection systems. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the pump-type disinfecting device is enhanced by the fact that no towels are required; as previously noted, the use of towels in conjunction with a disinfection system may actually impede the effectiveness of the system.
Although pump-type disinfecting devices represent some improvement over the immersion disinfecting system, the pump-type disinfecting devices are problematic as well. In particular, the entire disinfecting device must be replaced, or else the pump must be removed and disinfectant added to the vessel of the disinfecting device, whenever the disinfectant runs out. In view of the labor-intensive maintenance/service required by such devices, they are not suitable for locations where they would be heavily used.
Other disinfecting devices have been designed which are more suitable for heavy use. In one known device, a disinfectant tank and a pump are installed on the left and right of the rear portion of the main body, and the disinfectant liquid inside the tank is drawn upward by means of the pump and caused to jet from a spray nozzle located on the front upper portion of the device. This device has a configuration in which a cover equipped with an opening into which the user's hands are inserted is installed on the front surface of the device. In cases where the tank is constructed as a cartridge type tank, this device is convenient to use. However, this device is undesirably complicated and expensive due to the numerous pieces and types of equipment/parts employed.
Another known spray type disinfecting device consists of a support base and a cover that can be fastened to a wall surface. This device is configured with a separate spray mechanism having a nozzle at its lower end, a pump, and a connecting pipe at the upper end. An actuating lever is installed in a position on the cover in operative relation with the pump. A pouch containing a disinfectant solution is held between the support base and the cover in a state in which a coupling means installed in the pouch is inserted into the connecting pipe of the spray mechanism.
While somewhat responsive to the problems previously noted, this disinfecting device suffers from at least two significant deficiencies. First, the connecting pipe of the spray mechanism must be inserted into the coupling means of the pouch each time that the pouch is replaced. Furthermore, since no means for the stable retention of the pouch between the support base and the cover is provided, the pouch cannot be stably held.
In addition to the need for a device for disinfecting a user's hands, there often is the need to disinfect and clean the various facilities utilized by a user, especially, for example, in a public restroom-type environment. For example, in a public restroom, a user may wish to clean, or otherwise sanitize, a toilet seat prior to use. Other surfaces, such as countertops or diaper-changing stations, may also require sanitization by the user. However, existing disinfectant dispensing devices do not provide the type of dispensing arrangement that would allow a user to do this in a quick, easy and satisfactory manner.
In view of the foregoing problems with known disinfecting devices such as aerosol disinfectant containers and aerosol disinfectant dispensers, what is needed is an improved aerosol dispensing device and system for use with pressurized disinfecting agents. The aerosol dispensing device and system should be convenient to use and should minimize the number of steps required to disinfect a user's hands, or to disinfect other facilities, such as a toilet seat surface. Further, the aerosol dispensing device should be mechanically simple and easy to maintain and should facilitate ready replenishment of the disinfecting agent. Additionally, the aerosol dispensing device should be inexpensive to produce. Finally, the container holder should stably and removably secure the aerosol disinfectant container.